The Calvert surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 17,619 people carried this name — #2,043 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 16,800 people counted. That is up 3% from 17,169 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Calvert surname

From Middle English calfhirde, equivalent to modern calf + herd.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Calvert» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as an occupational name: ‘the calfherd’.

An early record he cites: Henry Calvehird, c. 1300 — Writs of Parliament.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 157 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 15 births for the Calvert name in 1890.

Most were registered in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 700 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Antrim, Armagh, and Down.”

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 15

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 27 people named Calvert live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in City of Buenos Aires.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

City of Buenos Aires 17
Buenos Aires Province 10

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 25 people named Calvert.

5 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 12 départements, most often Martinique.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 5
Martinique 3
Alpes-Maritimes 3
Paris 3
Loire-Atlantique 2
La Réunion 2
Sarthe 1
Seine-et-Marne 1
Vendée 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In the Nordic population registers

75 people named Calvert is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 75

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Calvert was found among the farmers of 2 counties.

It was most frequent in Yorkshire, North and East Ridings: 24 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 417. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Yorkshire, North and East Ridings 24
Yorkshire, West Riding 18

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In Scotland’s registers today

Calvert was recorded 13 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 1564th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 15. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

29 families named Calvert, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 139 people lived in those households, 4.8 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 2 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

South Carolina 8
Pennsylvania 7
Virginia 4
North Carolina 4
New York 3
Maryland 3

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 232 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Calvert in American newspapers,
1902–1919.

Newspaper page from The Commonwealth carrying the name Calvert
The Commonwealth 1919-01-15
Newspaper page from The Billings Gazette carrying the name Calvert
The Billings Gazette 1902-02-07
Newspaper page from The French Broad Hustler carrying the name Calvert
The French Broad Hustler 1907-04-25

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 4,055 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Calvert in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.

44,535 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Calvert. The most, 6,267, date from the 1880s. Victoria has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Tasmania, at 2.2 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 20,826
New South Wales 9,225
Tasmania 6,445
Queensland 4,004
South Australia 2,023
Western Australia 1,581
ACT (Canberra) 326
Northern Territory 25

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Calvert.

Who carried it

People named Calvert,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Jan Calvert d. 2026 · Presbyterian minister
  • Elizabeth Calvert d. 1675 · bookseller
  • Michael Calvert d. 1862 · topographer
  • Michael Calvert d. 1862 · topographer
  • William Archibald Calvert d. 1943
  • Mary Nicholson d. 1789

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Calvert,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,470 records

1,470 records of the Calvert name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 627
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 258
  • Other U.S. records 585
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record James H. Calvert

    Born 1917 in Kentucky. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Thomas Newport; mechanic from Marion County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1976, buried at Lebanon National Cemetery, Kentucky.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mary Calvert

    Arrived at New York in 1883 aboard the Catalonia from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 40; matron. From England; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record James O. Calvert

    Born 1931; from Hutchinson County, Texas. U.S. Army, light weapons infantryman; killed in action 1951 in North Korea.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 1,470 records for Calvert in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia1,277 records

1,277 records of the Calvert name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 514
  • Tasmanian Names Index 416
  • Other Australian records 347
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Mary Calvert

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Tasmania, sailing from London in 1844. Native of Preston, Lancashire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1846. Married 1846 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 21.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Horace Edward Calvert

    Died 1917 in France, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1918.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Thos Calvert

    Arrived in Victoria in 1855 aboard the British Trident, aged 40; Irish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,277 records for Calvert in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada70 records

70 records of the Calvert name in Canada
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 21
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 15
  • Other Canadian records 34
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Peter Harold Calvert

    Buried in 1994 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 73.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Mary Calvert

    Died 1986, aged 73; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record William Calvert

    Died 1967 in Glace Bay, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 70 records for Calvert in Canada.

Counts: City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom55 records

55 records of the Calvert name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 42
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 9
  • Other British records 4
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Jane Buchan Calvert

    Died 1997, aged 85; buried at Kilmadock Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record John Williams Henry Calvert

    Will proved in 1932; of Saint George, Denbigh.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record William Hall Calvert

    Born 1862. Died 1917. Named in the University of Edinburgh roll of honour, 1914-1919.

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)

Showing 3 of 55 records for Calvert in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Netherlands45 records

45 records of the Calvert name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 40
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 3
  • Dutch population registers 2
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record William Calvert

    Married in 1697 in Sprang; born in Oxford (Verenigd Koninkrijk).

    Open Archives, Streekarchief Langstraat Heusden Altena (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Maria Martha Calvert

    Died 1925 in Eindhoven.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Adriana Calvert

    Married in 1778 in Breda.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Breda (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 45 records for Calvert in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

New Zealand36 records

36 records of the Calvert name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 35
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Rupert Calvert

    Died 1916, aged 23; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Nellie Calvert

    Died 1983; buried at Oxford Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Maria Calvert

    Died 1928, aged 50; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 36 records for Calvert in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France12 records

12 records of the Calvert name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Sophie Marie Antoinette Calvert

    Born 1902 in Le Vauclin; died 1990 in Fort-de-France (Martinique).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Patrick Elie Roland Calvert

    Born 1962 in Nice (Alpes-Maritimes); died 1992 in Chambéry (Savoie).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Jacques Robert Louis Calvert

    Born 1922 in Rennes (Ille-et-Vilaine); died 2001 in Mamers (Sarthe).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 12 records for Calvert in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Calvert.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Calvert is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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